Man captured after stealing ambulance

ROCKFORD - A man suspected of stealing an ambulance from Rockford Memorial Hospital was captured at the Belvidere WalMart late Wednesday night.

Paul S. Chandler, 51 of St. Charles, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and with stealing a vehicle, Rockford Police Department Lt. John EauClaire said. Chandler previously lived in Rockford.

A paramedic and a nurse at Rockford Memorial, 2400 N. Rockton Ave., attempted to stop a man from stealing a Metro Ambulance from the emergency room parking lot. The man drove the ambulance at the medical personnel, forcing them to run out of the way.

Police could not locate the ambulance near the hospital or when it was spotted in the area of spring Creek and Perryville roads.

It was abandoned in McHenry County before the suspect - who apparently was given a ride by a resident living in rural McHenry County farmhouse - was spotted at WalMart in Belvidere, Lt. Patrick Hoey said.

Belvidere Police Department officers arrested the man without incident and he was lodged in the Winnebago County Jail.